District 204, clerical union reach deal

The 800 members of the Indian Prairie Classified Association have approved a two-year agreement that will save the school system about $606,000 from the implementation of a more efficient medical plan over the life of the contract.

In addition to insurance savings, the contract calls for no hourly wage increases next year, although association members will see a "step" increase for experience in both years of the contract.

"The $606,000 in health insurance savings are an important component of the compromise," Indian Prairie Unit District 204 school board President Curt Bradshaw said.

The second year of the pact provides an increase of 30 cents an hour for assistants and 36 cents an hour for secretaries.

Starting secretaries currently earn $13.49 an hour and other association members, including deans' assistants, health assistants, and teacher assistants, start at $11.01 an hour.

Negotiations began in April.

Association members were unavailable for comment Tuesday but Bradshaw said the contract is another example of the austere approach to bargaining the district promised as part of its budgeting process.

"This settlement is yet another piece of our master plan to maintain a balanced budget even if our worst case expectation from the state becomes reality," Bradshaw said. "This settlement, like the one with our teachers, is respectful of our current economic situation."

The current contract expires at the end of June. The school board is expected to vote on it at its June 7 meeting.

The Indian Prairie Education Association's 2,700 member also accepted a tentative agreement reached with the district last week. Teachers will vote Thursday whether to ratify the two-year deal worth about a .65 percent salary increase over two years.